"Shunqi Huoxue Tang" for Distending, Full and Painful Chest and Abdomen
In the Waike Dacheng (Comprehensive Book of External Medicine) by the Qing-dynasty famous surgeon Qi Kun, there is a formula called "Shunqi Huoxue Tang." It is a classic formula of orthopedics and traumatology, mainly used for contusions of the chest and abdomen.
"Shunqi Huoxue Tang" consists of Zisugeng (Stalk of Perilla), Houpo (Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis), Zhiqiao (Fructus Aurantii), Xiangfu (Rhizoma Cyperi) and Chao Chishao (stir-fried Radix Paeoniae Rubra) each 1 qian (3 g); Dangguiwei (Tail of Radix Angelicae Sinensis) and Sumu (Lignum Sappan) each 2 qian (6 g); Honghua (Flos Carthami) and Sharen (Fructus Amomi) each 5 fen (1.5 g); Muxiang (Radix Aucklandiae) 4 fen (1.2 g); Taoren (Semen Persicae) 3 qian (9 g). "Shunqi Huoxue Tang" moves qi and activates blood, dispels stasis and stops pain. It is indicated for a history of chest/abdominal contusion, presenting with distending, full and painful chest and abdomen, emotional depression and unhappiness, a dark tongue with thin white coating, and a wiry, rough pulse.
Shunqi Huoxue Tang is essentially Taoren Siwu Tang minus Chuanxiong and Dihuang, plus Sumu for activating blood and stopping pain, and plus six qi-regulating herbs-Zisugeng, Houpo, Zhiqiao, Xiangfu, Sharen and Muxiang. So it is indeed very effective for qi-stagnation pain caused by chest/abdominal contusion. For severe qi stagnation and depression, add Qingpi (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae Viride), Yujin (Radix Curcumae) and Jiegeng (Radix Platycodi) to soothe the liver and move qi; for chronic illness with intermingled stasis-heat, add Zhizi (Fructus Gardeniae), Huangqin (Radix Scutellariae), Tianhuafen (Radix Trichosanthis) and Danshen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae) to clear heat and disperse stasis; for severe stasis-swelling and stabbing pain, add Sanleng (Rhizoma Sparganii), Ezhu (Rhizoma Curcumae), Ruxiang (Olibanum), Moyao (Myrrha), Xuejie (Sanguis Draconis), Wulingzhi (Faeces Trogopterori) and Puhuang (Pollen Typhae) to break blood and dispel stasis; for weak patients, add righteous-qi-supporting herbs such as Renshen (Radix Ginseng), Bajitian (Radix Morindae Officinalis) and Buguzhi (Fructus Psoraleae).
Using Shunqi Huoxue Tang as a base and adding appropriate modifications, one can form a formula for cancer pain of the qi-stagnation and blood-stasis type caused by thoracic and abdominal tumors (such as lung cancer, pleural mesothelioma, thymic carcinoma, etc.). For such cancer pain, one may add as appropriate Yuanhu (Rhizoma Corydalis), Chuanlianzi (Fructus Toosendan), Xiatianwu (Corydalis Decumbens), Xuchangqing (Radix Cynanchi Paniculati), Ruxiang, Moyao, Sanleng, Ezhu, Puhuang and Wulingzhi; for intermingled stasis-heat, add some heat-clearing and detoxifying herbs such as Daqingye (Folium Isatidis), Banlangen (Radix Isatidis), Shandougen (Radix Sophorae Tonkinensis), Huangqin, Zhizi, Banzhilian (Herba Scutellariae Barbatae), Baihuasheshecao (Herba Hedyotis Diffusae) and Pugongying (Herba Taraxaci).
When thoracic and abdominal tumors produce cancer pain, there is often also pleural effusion and pericardial effusion. When forming a formula based on this approach for such patients, one should add appropriate water-disintegrating and swelling-dispersing herbs such as Han Fangji (Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae), Yiyiren (Semen Coicis), Fuling (Poria), Zhuling (Polyporus), Tinglizi (Semen Lepidii), Yimucao (Herba Leonuri) and Cheqiancao (Herba Plantaginis).
Besides cancer pain, this formula can also be used for coronary heart disease of the qi-stagnation and blood-stasis pattern. For coronary heart disease, it can be combined with Danshen Yin (composed of Danshen, Tanxiang [Lignum Santali Albi] and Sharen) and Gualou Xiebai Tang; the combined formula works better than any single formula.
In short, we can apply our learning flexibly and use the "Shunqi Huoxue Tang" formula to treat many kinds of disease.